maine So it is with the soule that is truely convinced it is safe for the maine yet it is tumbled and tossed with many doubts and feares but their Anchor is in Heaven Take this for a ground of comfort subscribed unto in the experience of all beleevers that the Spirit of God so farre convinces them of Christs righteousnesse as preserves in them such a power of grace as to cast themselves upon the mercy of God in Christ and God will not quench that sparke though there be little or no light yet there will be heate God will send his Spirit into the heart so farre as it shall not betray it selfe to despaire and let such a beame into the soule as all the power in hell shall not be able to keepe out but it is our owne neglect that we are not more strongly convinced so as to breake through all This is the priviledge of a constant carefull Christian to bee strongly convinced of the righteousnesse of Christ Vse Thus we see how the Holy Ghost convinceth us of righteousnesse other things I must omit If this be so I beseech you let us not loose our priviledges and prerogatives doth God give grace and give Christ with all his righteousnesse and shall not we improove them Let us use this righteousnesse in all temptations Let us pleade it to God himselfe when hee seemes to be our enemy Lord thou hast ordained a righteousnesse the righteousnesse of Christ that hath given full satisfaction to thy justice and he hath given me a title to Heaven howsoever my soule be in darkenesse yet Lord I come unto thee in the name of my Saviour that thou wouldest perswade my soule of that righteousnesse I would glorifie thy Name Wherein wilt thou be glorified In mercy or justice O in mercy above all I cannot glorifie thee in thy mercy unlesse thou perswade me of the righteousnesse of Christ Can I love thee except thou love mee first Canst thou have any free and voluntary obedience from me unlesse J be convinced that Christ is mine Now Lord I beseech thee let me be such as thou maist take delight in Beloved since we have meanes of such a gift let us never rest till wee have it If Satan set upon us hold this out if he tell thee thou art a sinner tell him I have a greater righteousnesse then my owne even the righteousnesse of God-Man I have a righteousnesse above all my unrighteousnesse Satan saith God is displeased with me J but he is more pleased with me in Christ then displeased with me in my selfe Satan saith J have sinned against God I but not against the remedy send Satan to Christ O but thou hast a corrupt nature that makes thee runne into this sinne and that sinne but there is a spring of mercy in God and an over-running fountaine of righteousnesse in Christ an over-flowing sea of the blood of Christ Therefore let us labour to improove this righteousnesse of Christ to God and Satan and against al temptations yea against our own consciences I am thus thus yet God is thus and thus all his Attributes are conveyed to me in Christ Let us exalt God and Christ and set up Christ above our sins above any thing in the world as S. Paul who counted all things dung and drosse for the excellent knowledge of Christ Quest. You will aske me How shall wee know whether we be convinced of this righteousnesse or no Answ I answer we may know by the Method Christ uses in convincing First he convinces of sinne and then of righteousnesse for a man to catch at righteousnesse before hee bee convinced of sinne it is but an usurpation for the Holy Ghost first convinces of sinne Therfore you have many perish because they never were abased enough Beloved people are not lost enough and not miserable enough for Christ and not broken enough for him and therfore they go without him Quest But how shall I know that the Holy Ghost hath convinced me enough of sin so that I may without presumption apply the righteousnesse of Christ unto my selfe Onely thus if the Holy Ghost have discovered my sinfull condition of nature and life Answ so as to worke in me an hatred of sin and to alter my bent another way and so make Christ sweet unto me then I am sufficiently convinced of sinne This in answer to that Question by the way To returne in the next place I may know I am convinced throughly of the righteousnesse of Christ by the witnesse and worke of the Spirit The Spirit brings light and faith the work of the Spirit hath a light of its owne as I know I beleeve when I beleeve but sometimes wee have not the reflect act of faith whereby to evidence our owne graces to our selves but ever he that is convinced of the Spirit of God his heart will be wrought to beare marveilous love to God upon this apprehension that God is mine and Christ is mine the soule is constrained to love whereupon ensues an enlargement of heart and a prevalency of comfort above all discomfort for love casteth out feare This one comfort that our sins are forgiven and that we have right and title to Heaven when the soule is convinced of this it is in a blessed condition then what is poverty and what is imprisonment not worthy to bee reckoned in respect of the glory that shall be revealed Againe where the Holy Ghost convinces enough there is inward peace and great joy sutable to the righteousnesse As the righteousnesse is an excellent righteousnesse of God-Man so that peace and joy that comes from it is unspeakable peace and joy So that when the heart sees it selfe instated in peace and joy as you have it Rom. 5. Being justified by faith wee have peace towards God not only inward peace and joy but a peace that will shew it selfe abroad a glorious peace a peace that will make us glory verse 3. We glory in tribulation A hard matter to glory in abasement not only so but we glory in God God is ours and Christs righteousnesse ours when Christ hath satisfied Gods wrath then we may make our boast of God Againe where this conviction of righteousnes is it answers all objections the doubting heart will object this and that but the Spirit of God shewes an All-sufficiency in Christs obedience and that sets the soule downe quietly in all crosses and calmes it in all stormes in some degree Where the soule is convinced of the righteousnesse of Christ there the conscience demands boldly It is God that justifies who shal condemne It is Christ that is dead and risen againe and sits at the right hand of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen So that a convinced conscience dares all creatures in Heaven and Earth it works strongly and boldly I shall not need to inlarge this you know whether you are convinced Vse To end the point I beseech you labour to live by this
all favours as blessed Peter begins his Epistle Blessed bee the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you c. As soone as we are new borne wee are begotten to a Kingdome and an Inheritance therefore assurance that we are Gods children will make us thankfull for grace present and that to come as if we were in Heaven already we begin then the imployment of Heaven in thankesgiving here to praise God before hand with Cherubines and Angels Let us then be stirred up to give God his due before hand to begin Heaven upon Earth for wee are so much in heaven already as we abound and are conversant in thanksgiving upon earth The end of the second Sermon THE THIRD SERMON HOS 14.2 3. So will we render the Calves of our lips Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the works of our hands ye are our gods for in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy THE words as wee heard heretofore containe a most sweet and excellent forme of Returning unto God for miserable lost and forlorne sinners wherein so farre God discovers his willingnesse to have his people returne unto him that he dictates unto them a forme of prayer Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him Take away iniquity Wherein wee see how detestation of sin must be as generall as the desire of pardon and that none heartily pray to God to Take away all iniquity who have not grace truly to hate all iniquity And doe good to us or doe gratiously to us for there is no good to us till sin be remooved though God bee goodnesse it selfe there is no provoking or meriting cause of mercy in us but he findes cause from his owne gratious nature and bowels of mercy to pitie his poore people and servants It is his nature to shew mercy as the fire to burne a spring to runne the Sun to shine Therefore it is easily done as the Prophet speakes Who is a God like unto thee Micah 7.18 Where we came to speake of the Restipulation So will wee render the Calves of our lips where Gods favour shines there will be a reflection love is not idle but a working thing it must render or die and what doth it render divers Sacrifices of the New Testament which I spoke of that of a broken heart of Christ offered to the Father to stand betwixt Gods wrath and us our selves as a living Sacrifice Almes-deeds and praise which must bee with the whole inward powers of the soule Praise is not comely in the mouth of a foole saith the Wiseman nor of a wicked man as Psal 50.16 17. saith God to such What hast thou to doe to take my words in thy mouth since thou hatest to bee reformed and hast cast my words behind the There are a company who are ordinary swearers and filthy speakers for them to praise God James 3.10 Iames tells them that these contrarie streames cannot flow out of a good heart O no God requires not the praise of such fooles I gave you also some Directions how to praise God and to stirre up your selves to this most excellent duty which I will not insist on now but add a litle unto that I then delivered which is To take advantages of our disposition James 5.13 That we must watch all advantages of praising God from our dispositions Is any merrie let him sing saith Iames O it is a great point of wisedome to take advantages with the streame of our temper to praise God When he doth incourage us by his favours and blessings and inlarge our spirits then we are in a right temper to blesse him let us not loose the occasion This is one Branch of redeeming of time to observe what state and temper of soule wee are in to take advantage from thence Is any man in heavinesse he is fit to mourne for sin let him take the opportunity of that temper Is any disposed to cheerefullnesse let him sacrifice that marrow oyle and sweetnesse of spirit to God We see the poore birds in the spring-time when those little spirits they have are cherished with the Sun-beames how they expresse it in singing so when God warmes us with his favours let him have the praise of all A censure of those who take the advantage of Gods blessings to feed their lusts And here I cannot but take up a lamentation of the horrible ingratitude of men who are so farre from taking advantage by Gods blessings to praise him that they fight like Rebels against him with his owne favours Those tongues which he hath given them for his glory they abuse to pierce him with blasphemie and those other benefits of his lent them to honour him with they turne to his dishonour like children who importunately aske for divers things which when they have they throw them to the dog So favours they will have which when they have obtained they give them to the divell unto whom they sacrifice their strength and cheerefullnesse and cannot be merrie unlesse they be madd and sinnefull Are these things to be tolerated in these daies of light How few shall wee finde who in a temper of mirth turne it the right way Incouragement to Praise God But to add some incouragements to incite us to praise God 1. We honour him by it unto the former I beseech you let this be one That we honour God by it it is a well-pleasing Sacrifice to him If wee would studie to please him we cannot do it better then by praising him 2. It is the most gainefull trading And it is a gainefull trading with God for in bestowing his seed where he findes there is improovement in a good soyle with such a sanctified disposition as to blesse him upon all occasions that there comes not a good thought a good motion in the minde but we blesse God who hath injected such a good thought in our heart there I say God delights to shower downe more and more blessings making us fruitfull in every good worke to the praise of his Name Sometimes we shall have holy and gratious persons make a law that no good or holy motion shall come into their hearts which they will not be thankfull for O when God seeth a heart so excellently disposed how doth it inrich the soule It is a gainefull trade As we delight to bestow our seed in soyles of great increase which yeeld sixtie and an hundred fold if possible so God delights in a disposition inclined to blesse him upon all occasions on whom he multiplies his favours And then in it selfe 3. It is a most noble act of Religion it is a most noble act of
nothing but a matter of opinion of canvasing an argument c. But it is another manner of matter Religion what A divine Power exercised upon the soule whereby it is transformed into the obedience of divine truth and molded into it So that there must be a Positive as well as a Negative Religion a cleaving to God as well as a forsaking of Idols Againe in the severing of these Idols from God we must know and observe hence Observ That there is no Communion betweene God and Idols Neither will wee say any more to the workes of our hands ye are our gods for in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy There must be a renouncing of false worship Religion and confidence before we can trust in God Mat 6.24 Ye cannot serve God and Mammon saith Christ We cannot serve Christ and Antichrist together wee may as well bring North and South East and West together and mingle light and darkenesse as mixe two opposite Religions You see here one of them is disclaimed ere affiance be placed in the other Therfore the halters betwixt two Religions are heere condemned It was excellent well said by Ioshua Iosh 24.19 They had there some mixture of false worship and thought therewith to serve also Iehovah no saith he you cannot serve Iehovah What is Ioshuahs meaning when he saith they could not not onely that they had no power of themselves but you are a naughty false people you thinke to jumble Gods worship and that of Heathens together you cannot serve God thus So a man may say to those who looke Rome-wards for worldly ends and yet will be Protestants you cannot serve God you cannot bee sound Christians halting thus betwixt both These are not compatible they cannot stand together you must disclaime the one if you will cleave to the other we see the ground heere Neither will wee say any more to the workes of our hands ye are our gods for in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy Againe whereas upon disclaiming of false confidence in the creatures and Idols they name this as a ground For in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy observe Observ In what measure and degree wee apprehend God aright to bee the All-sufficient true God in that measure wee cast away all false confidence whatsoever The right apprehending of God shakes off all false trust The more or lesse we conceive of God as we should doe so the more or lesse wee disclaime confidence in the creature Those who in their affections of joy love affiance and delight are taken up too much with the creature say what they will professe to all the world by their practise that they know not God By the contrary those who know and apprehend him in his greatnesse and goodnesse as hee should bee apprehended in that proportion they withdraw their affections from the creature and all things else It is with the soule in this case as with a ballance Simile if the one skale bee drawne downe by a waight put in it the other is lifted up So where God weighs downe in the soule all other things are light and where other things prevaile there God is set light Ashur shall not save us for hee can doe us no good nor Horses because they are vaine helps How attained they to this light esteeme of Ashur and Horses For in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy That which is taken from the creature they find in God Why the world hates Christians escaped from them And this is the Reason why the world so maligne good and sound Christians they thinke when God gets that they loose a feather as wee say some of their strength surely so it is for when a Christian turnes to God and becomes sound he comes to have a meane esteeme of that which formerly was great in his sight his judgement is otherwise as we see here Ashur Horses Idols and all they esteeme nothing of them Horses and the like are good usefull and necessary to serve Gods providence in the use of meanes not to trust in or make coordinate with God In the world especially great persons would be gods in the hearts of people therefore when they see any make conscience of their waies they thinke they loose them because now they will doe nothing but what may stand with the favour of God Thus farre from the Connexion Now to the words themselves For in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy Wherein we have set forth unto us for our consideration of Gods rich goodnesse towards poore miserable sinners 1. The Attribute of God Mercy 2. The fit Object thereof The Fatherlesse Mercy is that sweet Attribute that makes us partake of all the rest Mercy is Gods sweetest Attribute which sweetneth all his other Attributes for but for Mercy whatsoever else is in God were matter of terror to us His Justice would affright us His Holinesse likewise considering our impurity would drive us from him Luke 5.8 Depart from mee saith Peter to our Saviour for I am a sinnefull man Isa 6 5. and when the Prophet Isay saw God in his excellencie a little Then he said woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips c. His Power is terrible it would confound us His Majesty astonish us O but Mercy mitigates all he that is great in Majesty is abounding in mercy he that hath beames of Majesty hath bowels of mercy O this draweth especially miserable persons In thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy And now in the Covenant of Grace this mercy sets all a worke For it is the mercy of God by which wee triumph now in the Covenant of Grace in that mercy which stirr'd up his wisedome to finde out a way for mercy by satisfying his Iustice So that the first mooving Attribute of God that set him a worke about that great worke of our salvation by Jesus Christ in the Covenant of Grace was mercy his tender mercy his bowels of mercy Therefore of all others that Attribute is here named For in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy Mercy in God supposeth misery in the creature either present or possible for there is 1. A Preventing and 2. A rescuing mercy A Preventing mercy whereby the creature is freed from possible misery that it might fall into as it is his mercy that we are not such sinners in that degree as others are and every man that hath understanding is beholding to God for their Preventing as well as for their Rescuing mercy We thinke God is mercifull onely to those unto whom hee forgives great sins O he is mercifull to thee that standeth thou mightest have fallen fowly else Mercy supposeth misery either that wee are in or may fall into So that mercy in God may admit of a threefold consideration 1. It supposeth Sinne so there is a Pardoning mercy for that Or 2. Misery that is a Delivering mercy Or 3. Defect or want in the Creature which is Supplying mercy Whersoever
Isa 4.5 6. Therefore let us not despaire but stirre up a spirit of Prayer for the Church that he who shewes mercy to the fatherlesse and commands mercy to be shewed to the widdow that he would shew that himselfe which he requires of us And why may not we hope and trust for it The Church in this world is as it were a fatherlesse person a Pupill an Orphan a Sheepe in the midst of wolves as Daniell in the lyons den as a ship tossed in the waves as a lillie among thornes it is invironed with enemies and of it selfe like the poore sheepe is shiftlesse What is the Church but a company of weake persons not so witty for the world as worldly wise men are nor so strong in the arme of flesh nor so defenced but a company of persons who have a hidden dependance upon God we know not how and hang as it were by a threed as the Church in this land and abroad in other places The true Church is maintained we know not how God keepes up Religion the Church and all because he is mercifull to the Fatherlesse who have no shifting wits as the worldly Achitophels have God is wise for them that are not wise for themselves and powerfull for them that have little strength of their owne Therefore let us not be discouraged though we be weake creatures a little flock like a company of sheepe yet notwithstanding we have a strong Sheapheard Psal 23.1 Isa 5.1.7 The Church is like a vine a poore despicable withered crooked weake plant which windes about and must be supported or else it sinkes to the ground yet it is a fruitfull plant So the the Church of God a number of weake Christians professing Religion they want many helps yet God supports them and hath ordained this and that haven for them as this Magistrate and that Person God hath one support or other for them While they are fruitfull and true Vines God will have a care of them Isa 54.11 though they bee never so weake and despised in the eye of the world Vse 2 Againe this should teach us to make God our All-sufficiency in all estates whatsoever and not to goe one haires breadth from a good conscience for feare of after claps I may be cast into prison I may loose my goods What of all this is not God All-sufficient and is not he especially seene in comforting of those who stand in most need of comfort who want other helpes Isa 41.17 and will he be indebted to any man who stands out in a good quarrell for his cause will he not give needfull supply if not in this world yet in a better of all comforts whatsoever It is a good supplie when the losse is in outward things Isa 60.17 and the supply in inward peace grace and strength it is a happy losse that is lost to the advantage There was never any man yet from the beginning of the world Isa 64.5 who lost by cleaving to Religion and good causes God ever made it up one way or other Therefore this is a ground of courage to cast our selves upon doing good when God offers the occasion relying upon God as Hester did If I perish I perish she meant Est 4.16 If I perish I shall not perish such have a better condition in the love and favour of God then they had before or should have had if they had not perished It is the way not to perish so to perish it is as cleare and true as the Sun-shine but we want faith to beleeve it Vse 3 And then againe let us make use of it in another kinde to resist another temptation what will become of my poore children if I doe thus and thus stand thus and thus and goe on in my innocency what will become of thy children it was well spoken by Lactantius Because God would have men stand out and die in a good cause willingly therefore hee hath promised in a speciall manner to bee a Father to the Fatherlesse and a Husband to the Widow Are we the chiefe Fathers of our children No we are but under God to bring those who are his children into the world we are but instruments God is the chiefe Father best and last Father Isa 9.6 The Everlasting Father who takes upon him to be a Father to the Fatherlesse whom hee chargeth all not to hart Experience shewes how hee blesseth the posterity of the righteous who have stood in defence of the truth Therefore let us make no pretences either for basenesse dejection of spirit or covetousnesse to keepe us from well-doing for God will reward all Quest O say some I could be content not to bee so worldly but it is for my children Answ What saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.29 Let those who are married be as if they were not married meaning in regard of this scraping of wealth together by unlawfull meanes of covetousnesse or in regard of readinesse to doe workes of mercy What doth God appoint one Ordinance of marriage to take a man of all good duties No notwithstanding this we must doe fitting workes of mercy God will be the Father of the Fatherlesse Many use oppression and goe to Hell themselves to make their children rich Who commands us to make our children in shew a while happy here to make our soules and bodies miserable for ever There is a moderate care as the Apostle speakes so that hee who cares not for his owne is worse then an infidell 1 Tim. 4.8 but we must not make this pretence to excuse injurious and extortive courses But let God alone he will doe all things well trust him Or if any thing should befall us otherwise then well what if it doe God is the God of the Fatherlesse whatsoever he takes away hee supplies it better another way For whence have the creatures that infusion to helpe Is it not from God and when the creature is taken away is not God where he was Vse 4 And let us also learne hence that we answer Gods dealing in shewing mercy to the Fatherlesse and such as stand in need as the Apostle exhorts Coloss 3.12 Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and Beloved bowells of mercies c. as if hee should say as you would proove your selves to be Elect members of Christ and children of God so shew your likenesse in this particular The bowels of mercy and compassion This hath ever beene and yet is at all times a character of Gods children and shall be to the end of the world It is a sigâ—â— such a one hath found bowels of mercy that is ready upon all occasions to powre forth those bowels of compassion upon others as hard-heartednesse this way shewes a disposition which yet hath not rightly tasted of mercy As we say in another case those that are appeased in their consciences in the sense of the forgivenesse of sinnes they are peaceable to others
so long as God hath promised to bee the Phisitian and the blood of Christ is the Plaister that healeth us The Question is not what how many Jsa 1.18 19. how greaâ— and of what continuance our sinnes are but how wee stand affected towards them hate them and resolve against them That sinne connot hurt us which wee fight against mourne for complaine of resolve to leave and truely hate Let us never stand then in comparisons with our sinnes which beare no proportion to the infinite skill and power of our great Phisitian and to the infinite worke of Christs all sufficient satisfaction What canst thou object o man It is Christ that iustifieth the ungodly who art thou that condemneth Rom. 8.33 34. It is he that died yea rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and also maketh intercession for us Thou canst not satisfie for the least sinne God hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all Levi. 16.21 Isa 53.5 The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes wee are healed Let us therefore bee wise for afterwards heare reade lay up and meditate for the time to come for times will come if wee belong to God that nothing will content or pacific the soule but the infinite worth and merit of an infinit and free mercy apprehended in the face of Jesus Christ When our sins are set in order before us the sinnes of our youth middle and old age our sinnes against conscience against the Law and Gospell against examples vowes Promises Resolutions and admonitions of the Spirit and servants of God When there shall bee such a terrible acouser and God shall perhaps let the wounds of conscience fly open and joyne against us when wrath shall appeare bee in some sort felt and God presented to the soule Heb. 12.29 as a consuming fire no comfort in heaven or earth appearing hell beneath seeming readie to revenge against us the quarrell of Gods Covenant O then for faith to looke through all these clouds to see mercy in wrath Heb. 12.6 love in correction life in death the sweetnesse of the promises the vertue and merit of Christs sufferings death resurrection and intercession at the right hand The sting of death removed 1 Cor. 15.55 sinne pardoned and done away and glory at hand In somme this promise made good which leads unto all this happinesse as wee shall by and by heare I will heale their backesliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away O this is a marvelous matter then to be perswaded of Therfore let us make a right use of these words in due season For they are Pro. 25.11 like appels of gold with pictures of silver like balme to a greene wound like delivery in a shipwracke but indeed all comparisons come farre short of this illustration as the terrour of incensed wrath in the fearefull apprehension of eternall unspeakeable miserie is beyond any other feare apprehension or joy But least this grace be abused by others for wee must not with-hold the childrens bread for feare others partake with them unto whom it belongs not let them know this much that those who turne this grace into wantonnesse and will be evill because God is thus gracious that there is no word of comfort in the whole Scripture for them who stand resolved to goe on in their sinnes presuming of mercy See what God saith in this case Deu. 29.18 19 20. Least there should bee among you a roote that beareth gall and wormewood and it come to passe when hee heareth the words of this curse that hee blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of mine heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Psal 68.21 God will wound the hairie scalpe of such an one who goes on in his wickednesse and meanes to bee so And in the New Testament those who thus make a progresse in sin what do they They are said to treasure up unto themselves wrath Rom. 2.5 against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Therefore Gods word speakes no comfort to those who purpose to live in any sinne All the comfort can bee spoken to such is That yet they are not in hell that yet they have time to returne to this great Phisitian of the soule But take such an one in his present condition hee can have no comfort in this estate wherein there is but a step betweene him and hell So as when the rotten thred of this uncertaine life shall faile or is cut asunder downe they fall Wee have no comfort heere for them till they returne This pretious balme belongs to the wounded conscience Briefly for use then Vse Seeing that our God is a healing God as wee can admire the wisdome skill and excellencie of our Phisitian so let us much more make use of him 2 Chro. 16.12 upon all occasions Trust and cleave to him not like good Asa but not good in this who forgot himselfe and sent first to the Phisitians But let vs especially rely upon God and looke to him Isa 4.5 who can create help and must blesse all meanes whatsoever Hee is a healing God who will heale all rebellions and the most grievous sicknesses he is a Physition that is good for all turnes There are some diseases which are called the scorne of Physitions as the Goute the Ague and the like wherein in some cases they are put to a stand and know not what to doe but God is never at a losse his skill cannot be set downe he is good at all diseases to pardon all manner of sins Therefore let us goe to him for cure seeing there is neither sinne nor griefe nor terror of conscience arising thereupon which can be so great but God can cure both the sinne and the terror if we take a right course and speake peace to the soule God is a healing God arising when he comes with healing in his wings As he saith Mal 4.2 I will heale their rebellion c. And as he is a healing Physition so he puts his patients to no charge for as he saith I will heale their backesliding so he saith I will love them freely Therefore let us the more build upon this truth That free mercy is the scope of God in the new Covenant which is indeed the summe of all Godlinesse For what is the Gospell but the triumph of mercy doe but consider the scope of God in the new covenant whereof the Sacrament is a seale which is onely to shew forth the exaltation of the Grace and Mercie of God in Jesus Christ above all
unworthinesse whatsoever For all there is for the glory of his Mercy For in the Covenant of grace mercy doth triumph against judgment and justice Rom. 5.21 which mercy of God in Christ is said by the Apostle to raigne unto life everlasting by Iesus Christ our Lord. It reignes and hath a regiment above and over all For mercy in God stirred up his Wisedome to devise a way by shedding of the blood of Christ Jesus God-man to satisfie divine Justice and rejoyce against it But whence comes this that justice should be so satisfied because a way is found out how none of Gods Attributes are loosers by mercy That the greatest sin which is pardonable is to denie God the glory of his mercy Wherefore in any temptation when we are prone to doubt of Gods love say what shall we wrong God more by calling in question his mercy and the excellency of his loving kindnesse which is more then any other sinne we have committed This is a sin superadded against his Mercy Power Goodnesse Gratiousnesse and Love in healing of sinne which takes away the glory of God in that Attribute wherein he labours to triumph reigne and glorifie himselfe most Psal 145.9 and which is over all his workes Therefore he that offends herein in denying God the glory of his great tender unspeakeable mercy whereby he would glorifie himselfe most in the Covenant of grace he offends God most That we honour God most of all by giving him the glory of his mercy Therefore let us at such times as God awakens conscience be so farre from thinking that God is unwilling to cure and helpe us as to thinke that hereby we shall Honour God more by beleeving then we dishonoured him by our sinne For the faith of an humble contrite sinner it glorifies God more then our better obedience in other things doth because it gives him the glory of that wherein he delights and will be most glorified the glory of his mercy and truth of his rich abundant mercy that hath no bounds There is no comparison betweene the mercy of God in the Covenant of grace and that to Adam in the state of nature for in the first he did good to a good man first hee made him good and then did him good but when man did degenerate and was fallen into such a cursed estate as we are for God then to be good to a sinner and freely to doe good heere is goodnesse indeed triumphant goodnesse Cain was a cursed person who said Gen. 4.13 my punishment is greater then can bee borne wee know who spake it no God is a Physitian for all diseases if they be Crimson sinnes he can make them white as wooll Isa 1.18 Who would not be carefull therefore to search his wounds his sinnes to the bottome An incouragement to search our sins deeply let the search be as deepe as we can considering that there is more mercy in God then there can be sinne in us Who would favour his soule especially considering if he neglect searching of it sinnes will grow deadly and incurable upon that neglect Let this therefore incourage us not to spare our selves in opening the wounds of our soules to God that hee may spare all Thus we saw formerly The Church here is brought in dealing plainely with God and confessing all for she had an excellent Teacher and God answers all beginning with this I will heale their backsliding They were Idolaters and guilty of the sinnes of the second Table in a high measure no pettie sinnes yet God saith I will heale their backsliding c. Which being healed then an open high-way is made for all other mercies whatsoever which is the next point we Observe hence Observ That the cheefe mercy of all which leades unto all the rest is the pardon and forgivenesse of sinnes Healing of the guilt of sinne we see is set in the front of these Petitions formerly shewed which as it is the first thing in the Churches desires Take away all iniquity c. So it is the first thing yeelded to in Gods Promise I will heale their backsliding c. Pardon of sin and cure of sinne whereby the conscience ceaseth to be bound over to condemnation is the first and chiefest blessing of God and is that for which the Church falls out in a triumph Who is a God like unto thee Micah 7.18 19 20. that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage because hee delighteth in mercy c. And this is that excellent and sweet conclusion of the new Covenant also whereupon all the rest of those former foregoing mercies there are grounded Ier. 31.34 for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more Yea this is the effect of that grand Promise made to his Church after the returne of their captivity Jer. 50.20 In those daies and at that time saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall bee sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Iudah and they shall not bee found for I will pardon them whom I reserve The point is plaine and cleere enough it needs no following The Reason is Reason Because it takes away the interposing cloud God is gratious in himselfe pardon of sinne remooves the cloud betwixt Gods gratious face and the soule Naturally God is a spring of mercy but our sinnes stop the spring but when sinne is pardoned the stop is taken away and the spring runs amaine God is not mercifull as a flint yeelds fire by force but as a spring whence water naturally issues Quest Seeing forgivenesse of sinnes unstops this spring why doe we not feele this mercy Answ Surely Why we want the sense of the forgivenesse of sinnes because some sin or other is upon the file uncancelled perhaps unconfessed or because we are stuft with Pride that wee beleeve not or are so troubled or trouble our selves that we apprehend not or beleeve not the pardon of sinnes confessed and hated But sure it is Forgivenesse of sinnes unstops the spring of mercy and unvailes Gods gratious face in Iesus Christ unto us Sinne being not pardoned this stops as the Prophet speakes our iniquity is that which keepes good things from us Therfore the cheefe mercy is that which remooves that which unstops the current of all mercy I will heale their backsliding c. Looke as a condemned Prisoner in the Tower let him have all contentment as long as he is in the displeasure of the Prince stands condemned and the sentence unreversed what true contentment can he have none at all So it is with a sinner that hath not his pardon and quietus est from heaven yeeld him all contentment which the world can affoord all the satisfaction that can issue from the creature yet what is this to him as long as he hath not mercy and that his conscience is not pacified because it is not cleansed
Lebanon IT was a good speech of S. Austin those that are to petition great persons they will obtaine some who are skilfull to frame their Petitions least by their unskillfullnesse they provoke Anger insteed of carrying away the benefit desired So it is here with Gods people being to deale with the great God and not being able to frame their owne petitions God as we heard before doth it for them and answers them gratiously with the same mercies which he had suggested them to aske his answer being exact to their petitions I will heale their backsliding I will love them freely c. wherein God exceeds all Physitians in the world whatsoever for they have nature to helpe them Physicke is the mid-wife of Nature helping it to doe that which it cannot doe of it selfe Physick can doe nothing to a dead man but God is so great a Physitian that hee first gives life and after that spirituall Life is in some degrees begun by little and little he heales more and more I will heale their backslidings We have an error crept in amongst some of the meaner ignorant sort of people who thinke that God sees no sinne when he hath once pardoned men in Justification who falsely smooth themselves in this wicked sensuall conceit thinke they can commit no sinne offensive to God as though God should frame such a Justification for men to blindfold him and cast dust as it were in his eyes or justifie men to make them loose and idle No it is false as appeareth by this place for how can God heale that he sees not He sees it not to be revenged on them for it but hee sees sinne to correct it and to heale it He sees it not after a revengefull wrathfull justice to cast us into Hell and damne us for it but he sees it after a sort to make us smart and lament for it and to have many times a bitter sense of his wrath and forsaking as men undone without a new supply of comfort and peace from Heaven Let a man neglect Sanctification daily sorrow and confession of sinne and now and then even craving new pardon for sinnes past casting all upon a fantasticke conceit of faith in their justification what followes but Pride Hardnesse of heart Contempt of others and neglect of better then themselves and pronenesse out of Gods judgement to fall from ill to worse from one error to another In this case the heart is false and deceitfull for whilst it pretends a glorious faith to looke back to Christ to live by faith and lay all on him by justification it windes it selfe out of all taskes of Religion sets the heart at liberty neglects Sanctification and Mortification of lusts and beautifying the image of God in them giving too much way to the flesh Therefore away with this false and selfe-conceited opinion which drawes poyson out of that which God speakes to confirme and stablish us That hee sees no iniquity in Iaakob c. Whence from these Hyperbolicall speeches they thinke that God seeth not that which we our selves see But hee heales our backslidings therefore hee sees them for how can he heale a wound if he see it not He sees it but not to their destruction who are freely justified by his grace But we will leave this point it being too much honour to them to spend time in confutation of it and will rather say unto it as Isay speakes of a menstruous cloth get thee hence Isa 30.22 Now as God is a most gratious God never weary of well doing and comforting his people because it is his nature to be mercifull So hee hath suteable expressions of it hee goes on with mercy upon mercy loving kindnesse upon loving kindnesse Hee had promised before I will heale their Backeslidings take in summe all their Apostacie all shall bee healed But this is not all hee answers all the accusations and doubts of Satan who is still objecting against us our unworthinesse miserie wretchednesse to have such favours conferred on such filthy creatures Therefore hee takes of all with this which followeth as they had prayed Receive us gratiously So the answer is full and suitable to their request I will love them freely Put case they out of conscience of their own guilt should see no worth in themselves or cause why they should bee respected yet I see reason in mine owne love I will love them freely Quest But may some say How can God love freely Answ Aske thy selfe doth not a father and a mother love their child freely what doth the child deserve of the father and mother a great while Nothing but the mother hath many a weary night and foule hand with it Hath God planted an affection in us to love our children freely and shall not God much more who gives this love and plants it in us bee admitted to love freely But indeed there is absurdity and infidelity in distrust For it is against reason to deny the mighty God that which wee have in our selves If hee did not love freely how could hee love at all what could hee fore-see in us to love us for before hand the very manhood of Christ deserved not the grace of union it was freely given I will love them freely That which first of al we observe hence is this much Observ That God loves his people freely So Rom. 5.8 9. Saith the Apostle God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more being justified by his blood wee shall bee saved from wrath through him The like wee have in Ezekiell saith God Ezek. 36.22 Therefore say unto the house of Israell thus saith the Lord God I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israell but for mine holy Names sake which ye have profaned among the heathen whether ye went Adam when hee had sinned that maine great sinne what did hee fly from God run away Gen. 3.12 13. and when God called to him and debated the matter with him he accused God and excused himselfe Yet for all this God pittied him and cloathed him and made him that promise of the blessed seed What desert was there here in Adam nay rather the quite contary yet God loved him freely The same may bee said of Saint Paul for the time past a persecuter what deserving was therein him none at all yet hee found Gods free love in his conversion Act. 9.15 for saith God to Ananias Hee is a chosen vessell unto mee to beare my name before the Gentiles Heere was no deserving in Saint Paul Act. 9.5 but Gods free election which in time tooke place and so wee may say of the Prodigall having spent all Luk. 15.20 his Father pardoned all and loved him freely Reason 1 The Reason hereof is 1. Because it is his name and nature to bee gratious Exo. 34.6 and to loue freely and whatsoever is Gods nature that hath a freedome in the working
Psal 121. The more we shal inrich refresh our memories with thinking of these things the more comfort will sink into our hearts The 111. Psal is all spent on comfort in this kinde I will lift up mine eyes to the hils whence commeth my salvation my helpe commeth from the Lord who made Heaven and Earth all my helpe is from him hee will not suffer my foote to be mooved be that keeper Israel will neither slumber nor sleepe He will not slumber that is his eyes are alwayes open to see as his eares to heare Behold he that keepeth Israel 〈◊〉 neither slumber nor sleepe the Lord is thy keeper thy shadow so that the sunne shall not sâ—ite thee by day nor the moone by night the Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy comming in from this time for ever Thus we see this Scripture is a large glosse and commentary upon this truth that God with a speciall providence and protection cares for his children to keepe them from all ill he will be as the firre tree to them in regard of shadow Whence we observe in speciall Observ That this life of ours wh◠〈◊〉 come to Heaven is subject to scorchings and many annoyances and those â—â—th outwardly and inwardly from our selves and from others Frist for outward annoyances how many of them is our poore life subject unto and for inward terror and boyling heate of conscience when God in anger discovers himselfe unto 〈◊〉 Psal 50.21 and sets our sinnes in order before us O then if wee have not a shadow if God in mercy through Jesus Christ be not a shadow to keepe that boiling heate from us what will become of the poore conscience especially if Satan adds his poisoned fierie darts poisoning inflaming the conscience with temptations to despaire as if God had forsaken and were angry oâ— when God seemes angry then hee seemes like a consuming fire O! who can abide it when all these fiery temptations are joyned with Gods anger yet the dearest of Gods Saints are subject to these inward boiling heats of Gods anger My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Mat. â—7 46 said the head of the Church himselfe Iob 16.12 and see how Iob complaines thou hast see me as a But to shoot at And in regard of this spirituall disertion David complaines much throughout the Psalmes So this our life is subject to outward and spirituall annoyances from God from Satan and from our selves and the world every way annoyed with scorchings and heate what need a shadow a protection a defence else That supposeth this Their misery who have not God for a shadow is shewed If this be so then consider how fearefull the condition of those people is that are not under the shadow of the Almighty who have not God as a firre-tree to shadow and cover them that he is not a cloud by day too and a pillar of fire by night that have not him for a hiding place to spread the wings of his mercy over them What is the state of such people Surely howsoever God feed them and fills their bellie with good things in this world for a time yet their case will be fearefull when God lets loose conscience and Sathans fiery darts against them Judge then hereby what our state is by nature without God The same sunne which cherisheth and comforteth also tortures and scorches us so God is a sunne a quickning sunne to his children yea a vigorous sunne Mal. 4 2. who hath healing under his wings but to the wicked he is a scorching and a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God who is so dreadfull he will not be a shadow to the wicked in an excellent manner he indeed permits them to have many shaddowes in this world many sweet comforts and keepes them also from many dangers but they have not that worthy portion which Hannah had from her Husband Love at the houre of death and in time of temptation when these comforts leave them what shadow have they then none at all but are as naked men in a storme subject to the fury of Gods eternall wrath The things which are most comfortable to Gods people are most terrible to them as it is said in one of those plagues powred out upon Antichrist for all the violls there spoken of tend to the punishing of Antichrist Reve. 6. there is a violl powred forth upon the Sunne which reflecting and lighting upon them causeth them to blaspheme they were so scorched with it The Sunne by probable interpreters is said to be the Word of God which when it is opened is sweet and comfortable to Gods people but shining upon men that are naught especially at the howre of death in affliction and in distresse it speakes no comfort to them but causeth them to despaire rage and storme Nay prophane men when they are at the best they rage and storme at the direction of the sunne because it discovers to them that which they would not have knowne Vse 1 Now what Use should we make of this will God be a shadow to his people to keepe them from all evill as his promise was to Abraham in the covenant of grace Gen. 15.1 I will be thy buckler to keepe ill from thee Psal 84.11 and thy exceeding great reward And in the Psalmes God promiseth to be a Sunne for good and a shield to keepe off all ill Will God bestow good and keepe off ill from us then labour to come willingly under the shadow of the Almighty to serve him and to make God in covenant our God that he may be a shield and a hiding place unto us and a shadow in all extremities whatsoever Those that attend upon great persons they doe it upon this hope O! if I belong to such a great person hee will shelter me that every base person shall not wrong me I shall now have some prerogatives Doth carnall pollicie teach poore creatures who are subject to abuse it to get some shelter of great noble Men to be priviledged and shall not spirituall wisdome teach us to get under the great God under the shadow of his wings none can come neere to annoy us without his speciall will and leave as in the storie of Iob The Divell durst not annoy him Job 1. Mat 8.31 nor enter into the Swine much lesse hurt Gods children shall we not therefore get under the service of our God can any man shelter us better there is no service to that of a King but is there any service to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will he suffer his children to be abused in his owne sight or his followers disgraced surely no therefore make this use of it to get into the service of the great God which is a rich secure and safe service Vse 2 Againe it yeelds us an use of Resolution for to obey God and to
from God therefore I must serve him and serve him as he must be served in Spirit and Truth What makes a man reverence another Ioh. 4.24 I depend upon him without him J sinke will this make a man serve man and will it not make us serve God and serve him with feare what breeds an awfull feare this that if he withdraw his influence I fall into sinne despaire and discomfort so that the ground of all feare of God and service springing from this feare it is from hence that from him all my fruit all my grace and comfort is found therefore I must have grace to serve him as a God in feare For if the soule be not possest and seasoned with this heavenly doctrine that all comes from him then surely where is Gods service what becomes of it where is that adoration and magnifying of God in our hearts where 's that putting off our selves upon him in all condions Vse 4 Againe this inforceth another part of Gods spirituall and heavenly worship cleaving to God in our affections especially these two in our Faith and Love that as all comes from and by Christ Jesus so thereby we may draw from him the fruit of grace and comfort So that this spiritual cleaving and uniting of our soules to Christ it comes from this that I have all from him therefore I must cleave to him seeing whatsoever is spirituall holy and comfortable I must have from him Therefore if we would worship God in Spirit and Truth as we should doe and set him up in his due place in the soule let us labour to have our judgements sanctified in this that all comes from God If we were surely grounded in the Goodnesse Mercy and Riches of Gods grace and knew that all our fruit comes and is from him this would make us to conclude that therefore it is reason that we should worship him and depend upon him strictly As the Prophet speakes of Idols Ier. 10.5 that they can neither doe us good nor harme inforcing that they should not feare them so wee may say of all other things distinct from God they can neither doe good nor harme except God inable them Will you be slaves to men they cannot doe good nor harme but as God uses them whose creatures they are Therefore the worship of God is also founded hence that God does all good or harme if men doe it they doe it from him he gives them leave as it is said of Shimei 2 Sam. 16.10 God bid him raile on David If they doe us good they are his conduits whereby he deriveth good to us therefore all is from him we see then how all the true and hearty worship of God comes from this From mee is thy fruit found Vse 5 This should make us likewise as to worship God in spirit and in truth so to be resolute in good causes whatsoever come of it looke for a ground and then be resolute because all comes from God who will sand by us in his owne cause and quarrell But if I forsake this and that suppoâ—t I shall lay open my selfe to injuryes and wrongs Marke what the Spirit of God saith Ye that love the Lord hate that which is evill Psal â—9 10 But if I hate that which is evill Idols c. As Ephraim here doth I shall be despised and trampled upon No saith he God preserves the soules of his hee will be a shield and a buckler Psal 84. a Sunne and a shield and no good thing shall be wanting to them that leade a godly life God will be a Sunne for all good and a shield to keepe off all ill therefore let us be resolute in good causes Whence comes all shifting halting imperfect walking and inconstancie in the wayes of God but from this that men know not where to have men they are not grounded on this that whatsoever is fruitfull and good comes from God who will give whatsoever is fruitfull and good in depending upon him This made the three children in Daniell couragious they knew they should have fruit from God that is grace comfort and peace the best fruit of all And therefore know O King Dan. 3.18 that we will not worship thine Idoll nor fall downe before it So holy Hester being well grounded could say Hest 4.16 If I perish I perish I know the cause is good and if all helpe in the creature be remooved and taken away yet I shall have fruit in God Let us therefore carry this about us as a principle of holy life to know that our good is hid up in God and not in the creature so that if all helpe were taken away yet we have it immediately purer and better in the fountaine What if there were not a creature in the world to helpe me what if all were against me yet God may make all their powers and indeavours fruitfull There is such fruit from God that he can make the worst things which befalleth us fruitfull when he pleaseth there is a blessing in curses and crosses a good fruit in them who can doe him harme that God turneth the bitterest things he suffers to his good Let none be daunted in a good cause but goe on resolutly seeing God hath all in himselfe Was not Moses forty dayes without any earthly comfort on the mount Exod. 34.28 Mat. 4.2 and Christ also without naturall sustentation so long did not God give light without a Sunne in the first creation we are tyed to meanes but he is not We thinke if such friends and helps be taken away that then all is gone but what were they were not they meanes which God used at his good pleasure and cannot hee give comfort without them yes certainely the greatest comfort and grace is oft-times given immediately from God when he salutes the soule by his owne Spirit as he did Paul and Sylas in the dungeon who in the midst of discomfort Act. 16.25 had their spirit inlarged to sing hymnes at mid-night God reserving that comfort for that time Therefore seeing all comfort is from God and hee is not tyed to this or that meanes nay can blesse all contrary meanes is not this a ground of Resolution Vse 6 Therefore now make a Use of Comfort of it Of comfort seeing all fruit is from God who is in Covenant with his Children in Jesus Christ and who will improove all his attributes for their good his Wisdome Goodnesse Power and Mercy let them therefore take comfort to themselves that howsoever the world may take their friends from them Riches Liberty and what you will can they take God and fruit from them No From me is thy fruit found If they could take away the Spirit of God grace and comfort from us it were something but can they doe that no the worst they can doe is to send us to Heaven to the Fountaine of all grace and comfort so that in this world they cannot cast us
Quest Why lips are mentioned for praise onely Answ But why doth the Prophet especially mention lips The Calves of our lips which are our words 1. Partly because Christ who is the Word delights in our words 2. Because our Tongue is our glory and that whereby we glorifie God 3. And especially because our Tongue is that which excites others Being a trumpet of praise ordained of God for this purpose Therefore The Calves of our lips Partly because it stirres up our selves and others and partly because God delights in words especially of his owne dictating To come then to speake more fully of Praise and Thankesgiving let us consider what a sweet excellent and prevailing duty this is which the Church to bind God promiseth unto him The Calves of our lips I will not bee long in the point Helpes to praise God but onely come to some helpes how we may come to doe it First this Praising of God must be from an humble broken heart 1. It must bee from an humble broken heart the humble soule that sees it selfe not worthy of any favour and confesseth sinne before God is alway a thankfull soule Take away our iniquity and then doe good to us we are empty our selves Then will we render thee the Calves of our lips What made David so thankefull a man He was an humble man and so Iaakob what abased him so in his owne eyes his humility Gen. 32.10 Lord I am lesse then the least of thy mercies He that thinkes himselfe unworthie of any thing will be thankfull for everything and he who thinkes himselfe unworthy of any blessing will be contented with the least Therefore let us worke our hearts to humility in consideration of our sinnefullnesse vilenesse and unworthinesse which will make us thankfull especially of the best blessings when we consider their greatnesse and our unworthinesse of them A proud man can never be thankfull Therfore that Religion which teacheth pride cannot bee a thankfull Religion Popery is compounded of spirituall pride Merit of Congruity before Conversion Merit of Condignity and desert of heaven after Free-will and the like to puffe up nature what a Religion is this must we light a candle before the divell is not nature proud enough but we must light a candle to it 2. A due consideration of the greatnesse of the blessings to be spiritually proud is worst of all And with our owne unworthinesse add this a consideration of the greatnesse of the thing we blesse God for setting as high a price upon it as wee can by considering what and how miserable we were without it He will blesse God joyfully for pardon of sin who sees how miserable he were without it in misery next to divels ready to drop into hell every moment and the more excellent we are so much the more accursed without the forgivenesse of sinnes For the soule by reason of the largenesse thereof is so much the more capable and comprehensible of misery as the divels are more capable then wee therefore are most accursed O this will make us blesse God for the pardon of sinne and likewise let us set a price upon all Gods blessings considering what we were without our senses speech meate drinke rest c. O beloved we forget to praise God sufficiently for our senses This little sparke of Reason in us is an excellent thing grace is founded upon it if we were without Reason what were we If we wanted sight hearing speech rest and other daily blessings how uncomfortable were our lives This consideration will add and set a price to their worth and make us thankfull to consider our misery without them But such is our corruption that favours are more knowne by the want then by the enjoying of them when too late we many times finde how dark and uncomfortable we are without them then smarting the more soundly because in time we did not sufficiently prize and were thankfull for them And then labour to get further and further assurance that wee are Gods children beloved of him 3. To get assurance that we are in Gods love this will make us thankefull both for what we have and hope for It lets out the life blood of Thankefullnesse to teach doubting or falling from grace What is the end I beseech you why the glory to come is revealed before the time that we shall be sonnes and daughters Kings and Queenes heires and co-heires with Christ and all that he hath is ours Is not this knowledge revealed before hand that our praise and thankesgiving should before hand be sutable to this Revelation being set with Christ in heavenly places already Whence comes those strong phrases we are raised with Christ Eph 2.6 sit with him in heavenly Places Col. 1.13 are translated from death to life Tronsformed into his image 2 Pet. 1.4 Partakers of the divine nature c. If any thing that can come betwixt our beleeving and our fitting there could disappoint us thereof or unsettle us it may as well put Christ out of Heaven for we sit with him That Popish Doctrine of doubting kills Thankfullnesse to God If we yeeld to the uncomfortable Popish Doctrine of doubting we cannot be heartily thankfull for blessings for still there will rise in the soule surmises I know not whether God favour me or not it may bee I am onely fatted for the day of slaughter God gives mee outward things to damne me and make me the more inexcusable what a cooler of praise is this to be ever doubting and to have no assurance of Gods favour But when upon good evidence which cannot deceive wee have somewhat wrought in us distinct from the greater number of worldlings Gods stampe set upon us having evidences of the state of grace by conformity to Christ and walking humbly by the Rule of the Word in all Gods waies Then we may heartily be thankfull yea and we shall breake forth in Thankesgiving this being an estate of Peace and joy unspeakeable and glorious wherein we take every thing as an evidence of Gods love That assurance of being in the state of grace is the nurse of Thankesgiving Thus the assurance of our being in the state of grace makes us thankfull for every thing so by the contrary being not in some measure assured of Gods love in Christ wee cannot bee Thankfull for everything For it will alwaies come in our minde I know not how I have these things and what account I shall give for them Therefore even for the honour of God and that we may praise him the more cheerefully let us labour to have further and further evidences of the state of grace to make us thankfull both for things present and to come seeing faith takes to trust things to come as if it had them in possession Whereby we are assured of this that wee shall come to heaven as sure as if we were there already This makes us praise God before hand for